TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a flame resistant optical fiber ribbon.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In recent years, an optical interconnection system using optical fibers for wiring
has been attracting attention as a technology for sending a signal in a transmission
device. Usually, such optical fibers are used in a form of an optical fiber ribbon.
An optical fiber ribbon is formed by arranging in parallel optical fibers, each obtained
by forming a fiber coating made of, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin around
the circumference of a glass optical fiber, and then integrating the optical fibers
with a ribbon coating made of, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin. A conventional
optical fiber ribbon used for the optical interconnection system is formed by, for
example, arranging in parallel 12 optical fibers, each having an outer diameter of
250 µm and obtained by forming a fiber coating including a primary layer and a secondary
layer on the circumference of a glass optical fiber having an outer diameter of, for
example, 125 µm, at a pitch of 250 µm and then integrating the optical fibers with
a ribbon coating. The conventional fiber ribbon has a thickness of about 300 pm and
a width of about 3.1 mm.
[0003] To improve efficiency in installing wiring of this type of optical fibers in a transmission
device, techniques for reducing the diameter of an optical fiber and the thickness
of an optical fiber ribbon are under development. In addition, there has been an increasing
demand for flame resistance as one characteristic of this kind of optical fiber ribbon.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an optical fiber ribbon coated with a ribbon
coating of flame resistant ultraviolet curable resin.
[0005] WO 2006/101204 A1 discloses a light transmitting body containing a plurality of optical fibers which
are arranged in a thinned silica optical ribbon having a thickness of 125 µm.
[0006] JP 2002-214492 discloses a flame resistant coated optical fiber ribbon.
[0007] JP 2005-326567 discloses an optical fiber ribbon having a collective coating with a thickness of
25 µm which is made of for example flame-retardant UV resin.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0008] However, if a fiber coating and a ribbon coating are formed thinner to reduce the
diameter of an optical fiber and the thickness of an optical fiber ribbon, favorable
flame resistance and screening characteristics cannot be obtained.
[0009] The present invention has been achieved to solve the above problems in the conventional
technology and it is an object of the present invention to provide a thin optical
fiber ribbon capable of achieving favorable flame resistance and screening characteristics.
MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEM
[0010] To overcome the problems and achieve the object mentioned above, the present invention
provides an optical fiber ribbon according to claim 1.
EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
[0011] According to the present invention, an optical fiber ribbon uses a fiber coating
made of a non-flame-resistant ultraviolet curable resin and thus can achieve favorable
screening characteristics as well as a small thickness equal to 200 µm or less. In
addition, the optical fiber ribbon is coated with a ribbon coating of a flame resistant
resin having a thickness equal to 40 µm or more, and thus can achieve favorable flame
resistance.
[0012] Furthermore, according to the present invention, an optical fiber ribbon is formed
of glass optical fibers each coated with a single layer coating that is made of a
non-flame-resistant ultraviolet curable resin. Thus, the optical fiber ribbon can
have flame resistance in the optical fibers and achieve preferable screening characteristics
as well as a small thickness equal to 200 µm or less. In addition, the optical fiber
ribbon is coated with a ribbon coating made of a flame resistant resin such that a
total thickness of the flame resistant layer and the ribbon coating is 40 µm or more.
Thus, the optical fiber ribbon can achieve favorable flame resistance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0013]
[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a schematic cross section of an optical fiber ribbon according
to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a cross section of an optical fiber shown in Fig. 1.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a refractive-index profile corresponding
to the cross section of the optical fiber shown in Fig. 1.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a schematic cross section of an optical fiber ribbon according
to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a cross section of an optical fiber shown in Fig. 4.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining a relation between thicknesses of coatings
of the optical fiber ribbon shown in Fig. 4.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a table of characteristics of optical fibers, characteristics of
optical fiber ribbons,
thicknesses of flame resistant coatings, results of flame test and screening test,
and evaluations of installation efficiency of optical fiber ribbons of Examples of
the present invention and Comparative Examples.
EXPLANATIONS OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS
[0014]
10, 20 Optical fiber ribbon
11, 21 Optical fiber
111, 211 Glass optical fiber
111a, 211a Center core
111b Depressed core layer
111c, 211b Cladding layer
112, 212 Fiber coating
12, 22 Ribbon coating
212a Non-flame-resistant layer
212b Flame resistant layer
D1, D2 Width
HI, H2, T1 to T5 Thickness
R11, R12, R21 to R23 Outer diameter
BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0015] Exemplary embodiments of an optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention
are explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present
invention is not limited to the embodiments.
(First Embodiment)
[0016] Fig. 1 is a schematic cross section of an optical fiber ribbon according to a first
embodiment not forming part of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, an optical
fiber ribbon 10 of the first embodiment is formed by arranging 12 optical fibers 11,
each obtained by forming a single layer of fiber coating 112 on the circumference
of a glass optical fiber 111, and integrating the optical fibers 11 with a ribbon
coating 12.
[0017] Fig. 2 is a cross section of the optical fiber 11 shown in Fig. 1. The glass optical
fiber 111 has an outer diameter R11 of 55 µm to 90 µm smaller than that of a typical
optical fiber, i.e., 125 µm. In other words, the outer diameter of the glass optical
fiber 111 is reduced to the extent that transmission loss does not increase while
installation efficiency improves and possibility of damage in the optical fiber due
to bending decreases. The glass optical fiber 111 is explained below.
[0018] The fiber coating 112 has a Young's modulus of 40 kgf to 200 kgf, and is made of
a non-flame-resistant ultraviolet curable resin not containing flame resistant agent.
This protects the glass optical fiber 111 from external damage and prevents microbending
loss as well as achieving favorable screening characteristics. Furthermore, because
the glass optical fiber 111 has a small diameter and the fiber coating 112 is a single
layer coating, a diameter R12 of the optical fiber 11 is smaller than that of the
conventional one, which ensures a small thickness of the optical fiber ribbon 10.
[0019] The ribbon coating 12 of the optical fiber ribbon 10 shown in Fig. 1 is made of an
ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin containing aluminum hydroxide as flame
resistant agent, and has a thickness T1 equal to 40 µm or more. Thus, favorable flame
resistance can be achieved.
[0020] The optical fiber ribbon 10 has a small thickness HI equal to 300 µm or less. A pitch
P1 between the optical fibers 11 is smaller than that of the conventional ones. This
increases flexibility of wiring and installation efficiency in a transmission device
while allowing the optical fiber ribbon 10 to have a width D1 smaller than that of
the conventional one. Thus, space saving can be achieved.
[0021] The glass optical fiber 111 is explained in detail below.
[0022] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a refractive-index profile corresponding to the
cross section of the glass optical fiber 111. As shown in Fig. 3, the glass optical
fiber 111 includes a center core 111a, a depressed core layer 111b formed around the
center core 111a, and a cladding layer 111c formed around the depressed core layer
111b. The depressed core layer 111b has a refractive index lower than that of the
center core 111a. The cladding layer 111c has a refractive index lower than that of
the center core 111a and higher than that of the depressed core layer 111b. In other
words, the glass optical fiber 111 has a W-shaped refractive-index profile.
[0023] The cladding layer 111c is made of pure silica not containing a dopant for adjusting
the refractive index. As shown in Fig. 3, provided that Δ1 denotes a refractive index
difference of the center core 111a from the cladding layer 111c, α denotes an α value
that is a parameter representing a refractive-index distribution of the center core
111a, Δ2 denotes a refractive index difference of the depressed core layer 111b from
the cladding layer 111c, a denotes the diameter of the center core 111a, and b denotes
the outer diameter of the depressed core layer 111b, Δ1 is 0.8%, α is 8.0, and Δ2
is -0.5%. The diameter a of the center core 111a is 7.2 µm, and the outer diameter
b of the depressed core layer 111b is 12.0 µm.
[0024] With the above refractive-index profile, the optical fiber 111 has a mode field diameter
of 5.8 µm at a wavelength of 1310 nm of a signal light source used for signal transmission
in a transmission device. The optical fiber 11 has a cut-off wavelength of 1238 nm
enabling single-mode transmission at a wavelength of 1250 nm. Besides, the optical
fiber 11 has a bending loss of 0.6 dB/turn at a wavelength of 1310 nm when bent with
a curvature radius of 1 mm, and a chromatic dispersion value of 1.04 ps/nm/km at a
wavelength of 1310 nm. Thus, the optical fiber 11 can be preferably used for an optical
fiber ribbon having a small bending loss and high installation efficiency.
[0025] The cut-off wavelength in this description is a fiber cut-off wavelength λc defined
by ITU-T G.650.1. Unless otherwise specified, other terms in the description also
follow definition and measuring method defined by ITU-T G.650.1.
[0026] The refractive index differences Δ1 and Δ2 are defined, respectively, by Equations
(1) and (2):

[0027] In Equations (1) and (2), n
c1 is a maximum refractive index of the center core 111a, n
c2 is a minimum refractive index of the depressed core layer 111b, and n
c is a refractive index of the cladding layer 111c.
[0028] In the W-shaped refractive-index profile, the diameter a of the center core 111a
is determined so that a refractive index at the border between the center core 111a
and the depressed core layer 111b is equal to that of the cladding layer 111c, and
the outer diameter b of the depressed core layer 111b is determined so that a refractive
index difference at the border between the depressed core layer 111b and the cladding
layer 111c is half the refractive index difference Δ2.
[0029] The parameter α is defined by Equation (3):

[0030] In Equation (3), r is a position in a radial direction from the center of the optical
fiber, n(r) is a refractive index at the position r, and a symbol "^" denotes exponentiation.
[0031] The optical fiber ribbon of the first embodiment is manufactured in the following
manner. First, a preform, which is mainly made of fused silica, is drawn by heating
and melting it in a drawing furnace to obtain a fused-silica optical fiber. The fused-silica
optical fiber is then coated with a liquid ultraviolet curable resin using coating
dies. The ultraviolet curable resin is irradiated with ultraviolet rays and cured
to form a fiber coating. Thus, an optical fiber is manufactured. Subsequently, 12
optical fibers thus manufactured are arranged in parallel and integrated by applying
at the same time with a liquid ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin containing
aluminum hydroxide. The applied resin is irradiated with ultraviolet rays and cured
to form a ribbon coating. Thus, the optical fiber ribbon is obtained.
[0032] As explained above, according to the first embodiment, the fiber coating 112 is made
of non-flame-resistant ultraviolet curable resin. Thus, favorable screening characteristics
can be achieved while the optical fiber ribbon 10 has a small thickness HI equal to
300 µm or less. In addition, the ribbon coating 12 has a thickness T1 equal to 40
µm or more and is made of flame resistant ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin
containing aluminum hydroxide, which achieves favorable flame resistance. Although
the glass optical fiber having a W-shaped refractive-index profile is described, by
way of example and without limitation, in the first embodiment, a different type of
optical fiber having a different refractive-index profile can also be adopted such
as an optical fiber having a step-type profile or a multimode optical fiber.
(Second Embodiment)
[0033] An optical fiber ribbon according to a second embodiment not forming part of the
present invention is explained below. Fig. 4 is a schematic cross section of the optical
fiber ribbon according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown
in Fig. 4, an optical fiber ribbon 20 of the second embodiment is formed by arranging
in parallel 12 optical fibers 21, each obtained by forming a fiber coating 212 on
the circumference of a glass optical fiber 211, and by integrating the optical fibers
21 with a ribbon coating 22.
[0034] Fig. 5 is a cross section of the optical fiber 21 shown in Fig. 4. As with the optical
fiber 11 of the first embodiment, the optical fiber 21 is obtained by forming the
fiber coating 212 on the circumference of the glass optical fiber 211. The glass optical
fiber 211 includes a center core 211a and a cladding layer 211b formed around the
center core 211a, and is a single mode optical fiber having a normal step-type refractive-index
profile. An outer diameter R21 of the glass optical fiber 211 is 125 µm.
[0035] The fiber coating 212 includes a non-flame-resistant layer 212a and a flame resistant
layer 212b. The non-flame-resistant layer 212a adjacent to the glass optical fiber
211 has a Young's modulus of 40 kgf to 200 kgf, and is made of a non-flame-resistant
ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin containing aluminum hydroxide as flame
resistant agent. This protects the glass optical fiber 211 from external damage and
enhances flame resistance of the optical fiber ribbon 20.
[0036] Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of part of the optical fiber ribbon 20 shown in Fig. 4
for explaining the thickness of the coatings thereof. As shown in Fig. 6, a thickness
T3 of the fiber coating 212, i.e., a total thickness of the flame resistant layer
212b and the flame resistant layer 212b, is equal to 30 µm or more. Therefore, even
if aluminum hydroxide coagulates into clumps in the manufacturing process, such clumps
do not damage a surface of the glass optical fiber 211. Thus, the optical fiber 21
can achieve favorable screening characteristics. An outer diameter R22 of the non-flame-resistant
layer 212a is 195 µm and an outer diameter of the non-flame-resistant layer 212a,
i.e., an outer diameter R23 of the optical fiber 21, is 250 µm.
[0037] The ribbon coating 22 of the optical fiber ribbon 20 shown in Fig. 4 is made of an
ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin containing aluminum hydroxide as flame
resistant agent. A total thickness T5 of a thickness T2 of the ribbon coating 22 and
a thickness T4 of the flame resistant layer 212b shown in Fig. 6 is equal to 40 µm
or more. Thus, even if each of the ribbon coating 22 and the flame resistant layer
212b has a thickness smaller than 40 µm, the optical fiber ribbon 20 can achieve favorable
flame resistance.
[0038] The optical fiber ribbon 20 has a small thickness H2 equal to 40 µm or less. A pitch
P2 between the optical fibers 21 is 250 µm and a width D2 of the optical fiber ribbon
20 is equal to that of a conventional optical fiber ribbon. Thus, it is possible to
maintain compatibility with the conventional fiber ribbon as well as to increase flexibility
of wiring and installation efficiency in a transmission device. Thus, space saving
can be achieved.
[0039] The optical fiber ribbon of the second embodiment can be manufactured in the same
manner as previously explained for the optical fiber ribbon of the first embodiment
except for a process for forming the non-flame-resistant layer and the flame resistant
layer.
[0040] As explained above, according to the second embodiment, the optical fiber ribbon
20 has the small thickness H2 equal to 300 µm or less. The fiber coating 212 has the
thickness T3 equal to 30 µm or more and includes the non-flame-resistant layer 212a
adjacent to the glass optical fiber 211 and the flame resistant layer 212b formed
as an outermost layer thereof. Thus, the optical fiber ribbon 20 can achieve favorable
screening characteristics while having the flame resistant layer 212b in the fiber
coating 212. In addition, the ribbon coating 22 is made of a flame resistant resin
and the total thickness T5 of the flame resistant layer 212b and the ribbon coating
22 is equal to 40 µm or more. Thus, favorable flame resistance can be achieved.
[0041] Although the glass optical fiber having the step-type refractive-index profile is
described, by way of example and without limitation, in the second embodiment, a different
type of optical fiber having a different refractive-index profile can be adopted such
as a multimode optical fiber.
[0042] (Examples 1 to 3, Comparative Examples 1 to 4) Optical fiber ribbons were manufactured
as Examples 1 to 2 of the present invention, Example 3 not forming part of the present
invention and Comparative Examples 1 to 4. Fig. 7 is a table of characteristics of
optical fibers, characteristics of the optical fiber ribbons, thicknesses of flame
resistant coatings, results of flame redundancy test and screening test, and evaluations
on installation efficiency of the optical fiber ribbons of Examples and Comparative
Examples.
[0043] In Fig. 7, a single-layer fiber coating of the optical fiber ribbons of Examples
1 and 2 are represented as "SECONDARY", and non-flame-resistant layers and flame resistant
layers of the fiber coatings of Example 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 are respectively
represented as "PRIMARY" and "SECONDARY". In addition, "UV" represents a non-flame-resistant
ultraviolet resin and "FLAME RESISTANT" represents a flame resistant ultraviolet curable
urethane acrylate resin containing aluminum hydroxide. The resin used for "PRIMARY"
has a Young's modulus of 0.15 kgf to 0.2 kgf, and the resin used for "SECONDARY" has
a Young's modulus of 40 kgf to 200 kgf. Besides, "TOTAL THICKNESS OF FLAME RETATDANT
COATINGS" represents the thickness of "RIBBON COATING" of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative
Examples 2 to 4 and a total thickness of "SECONDARY" and "RIBBON COATING" of Example
3 and Comparative Example 1.
[0044] A flame test represented as "FLAME RESISTANCE" was conducted under UL1581-1080 (VW-1)
standard. Results of the flame test performed on the optical fiber ribbon are represented
as "FLAME RESISTANT" indicating that the optical fiber ribbon did not flame or "NON-FLAME-RESISTANT"
indicating that the optical fiber flamed. A screening test represented as "SCREENING"
was conducted on an optical fiber under the condition of a screening strain of 1%.
Results of the screening test are represented as "FAVORABLE" indicating that an excellent
optical fiber having a length equal to 1000 m or more was obtained or "UNFAVORABLE"
indicating that an excellent optical fiber having a length equal to 1000 m or more
was not obtained due to breakage. Regarding installation efficiency, "FAVORABLE" represents
that the thickness of the optical fiber ribbon was 300 µm or less and "UNFAVORABLE"
represents that the thickness of the optical fiber ribbon was more than 300 µm.
[0045] The optical fiber of Example 1 was the same as the one described in the first embodiment,
and the optical fiber of Example 2 had the same W-shaped refractive-index profile
as that of the first embodiment, i.e., Δ1 was 0.9%, α was 8.0, Δ2 was -0.5%, a was
6.7 µm, and b was 11.2 µm. The optical fiber was characterized in that a mode field
diameter at a wavelength of 1310 nm was 5.5 µm, a cut-off wavelength was 1236 nm,
a bending loss at a wavelength of 1310 nm when the optical fiber is bent with a curvature
radius of 1 mm was 0.3 dB/turn, a chromatic dispersion value was 0.25 ps/nm/km. Furthermore,
the optical fiber of Example 3 was a single mode optical fiber having the same normal
step-type refractive-index profile as that of the second embodiment.
[0046] On the other hand, the optical fibers of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 each had the
same W-shaped refractive-index profile as that of the first embodiment, in which Δ1
is 1.2% and α is 1.5, Δ2 is -0.2%, a is 7.8 µm, and b is 14.5 µm. The optical fiber
was characterized in that a mode field diameter at a wavelength of 1310 nm was 5.5
µm, a cut-off wavelength was 1244 nm, a bending loss at a wavelength of 1310 nm when
the optical fiber is bent with a curvature radius of 1 mm was 0.6 dB/turn, a chromatic
dispersion value was -7.4 ps/nm/km. Furthermore, the optical fibers of Comparative
Examples 3 and 4 each were a single mode optical fiber having the same normal step-type
refractive-index profile as that of the second embodiment.
[0047] As shown in Fig. 7, the optical fiber ribbons of Examples 1 and 2 achieved favorable
screening characteristics with the optical fiber that was coated with a fiber coating
made of only "UV" and that was excellent as having a length equal to 1000 m or more.
In addition, the flame resistant coating had a thickness of 50 µm, i.e., more than
40 µm, and thus, the optical fiber ribbons did not flame and represented favorable
flame resistance. The optical fiber ribbons each had a small thickness of 200 µm in
consideration of space saving and increase in transmission loss due to the thinner
coating. In other words, the thickness was sufficiently small, and installation efficiency
was favorable. In addition, the pitches between the optical fibers of Examples 1 and
2 were 100 µm and 125 µm, respectively. Thus, the widths of the optical fiber ribbons
were about half of that of a conventional optical fiber ribbon, which significantly
increases flexibility.
[0048] The optical fiber ribbon of Example 3 achieved favorable screening characteristics
with the optical fiber that was coated with a fiber coating that had a thickness of
62.5 µm, i.e., equal to 30 µm or more, while made of "UV" and "FLAME RESISTANT" and
that was excellent as having a length of 1000 m or more. Although the ribbon coating
had a thickness of 25 µm, "SECONDARY", i.e., the flame resistant layer, had a thickness
of 27. 5 µm, and thus, the total thickness of the flame resistant coatings is 52.5
µm, i.e., equal to 40 µm or more. Thus, the optical fiber ribbon did not flame in
the flame test and represented favorable flame resistance. In addition, the optical
fiber ribbon had a thickness of 300 µm and favorable installation efficiency was achieved.
[0049] In the case of the optical fiber ribbon of Comparative Example 1, the optical fiber
broke before the length thereof reached 1000 m in the screening test. The optical
fiber ribbons of Comparative Examples 2 and 3 flamed in the flame test. The optical
fiber ribbon of Comparative Example 4 had a thickness more than 300 µm and had unfavorable
installation efficiency.
[0050] If the optical fiber of Example 1 has an outer diameter of 55 µm and the fiber coating
has a thickness of 10 µm, a pitch between the optical fibers can be reduced to 75
µm, which further reduces the width of the optical fiber ribbon, and thus increases
flexibility and installation efficiency of the optical fiber ribbon.
[0051] In the above embodiments, an ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin containing
aluminum hydroxide is used as a flame resistant resin. Alternatively, an ultraviolet
curable urethane acrylate resin containing aluminum magnesium hydroxide can be used.
[0052] If the fiber coating of each of the embodiments is a single layer coating, it is
preferable that the optical fiber have a bending loss of 1 dB/turn or less at a wave
length of 1310 nm when bent with a curvature radius of 1 mm. In consideration of connection
with another optical fiber, it is preferable that a mold field diameter at a wavelength
of 1310 nm be 5.4 µm or more. An optical fiber having the above characteristics can
be achieved with, for example, a silica optical fiber having a W-shaped refractive-index
profile, in which Δ1 is equal to 0.8% or more, α is equal to 1.5 or more, and Δ2 is
equal to -0.2% or less.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0053] An optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention can be preferably used
as, for example, an optical fiber ribbon for an optical interconnection system used
as a technology for signal transmission in a device.